Striker Marquinhos to leave Vissel

KOBE – Brazilian striker Marquinhos, fourth in the all-time J. League first-division scoring charts with 152 goals, is leaving Vissel Kobe with the expiration of his current contract, the J1 club announced Friday.

The 39-year-old, who won the J. League MVP award in 2008 while at Kashima Antlers, netted three times last season in 15 league appearances as Vissel finished 12th in the overall standings.

Marquinhos has played for seven clubs in Japan since 2001, starting with Tokyo Verdy.

He played a vital role in Kashima’s three consecutive league titles from 2007 and is the top scorer among those from overseas in the Japanese top flight.

Masashi Nakayama and Hisato Sato (both 157) share top spot on the all-time scoring list, followed by Yoshito Okubo (156).